Electrical System Problems of Cadillac Escalade - part 1

The onstar module has failed and this seems to be an ongoing issue with a lot of gm’s. My car was recently in to fix the major gm engine recall and after that my onstar stopped working. I called and they said it’s not a connectivity issue it’s a part issue. So it will have to be taken to the dealership. I pay money to have onstar and unlimited wifi. There should be a recall for this.

See all problems of the 2022 Cadillac Escalade 🔎.

The contact owns a 2009 Cadillac Escalade. The contact stated that while starting the vehicle, the battery was drained. The contact called aaa, who had installed the battery incorrectly. The battery was replaced. While driving at undisclosed speeds, the vehicle started to shake. The vehicle lost motive power with several unknown warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer, who determined that the system needed to be reset, and the vehicle was working as designed. The failure persisted. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who determined that the cylinder head was cracked, and the air compressor needed to be replaced. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was approximately 180,000.

See all problems of the 2009 Cadillac Escalade 🔎.

Car died in the middle of road. You pump the gas, nothing. This happened twice. Once at about 30000 miles and then at 60000 miles. The dealer had to replace a module or electrical box for fuel pump.

See all problems of the 2021 Cadillac Escalade 🔎.

On Friday, September 5, 2025, while driving with my family, the vehicle suddenly stalled while in motion. There were no warning lights or error messages before the failure occurred. While traveling at normal road speed, the vehicle instantly lost propulsion, steering assist, and braking power, leaving me without control in live traffic. For several seconds I was unable to steer or slow down normally — it was an extremely dangerous situation. The vehicle briefly restarted twice, then completely died and could not restart again. I had to pull over to the shoulder and call for assistance. This repeated sudden loss of power while driving, without any prior warning lamps or messages, creates a severe risk of collision or injury to occupants and others on the road. The vehicle’s unpredictable failure to maintain propulsion or braking control is unsafe and unacceptable.

See all problems of the 2023 Cadillac Escalade 🔎.

On Wednesday, September 3, 2025, while driving in regular city traffic, the vehicle suddenly lost propulsion without any warning or dashboard alerts. There were no warning lights, messages, or abnormal sounds before the failure occurred. The vehicle instantly shut down while in motion, causing a total loss of acceleration power and leaving me stranded in the middle of traffic. This occurred the second time I was driving the car after prior service, and the vehicle again stopped completely, forcing me to pull over and contact onstar roadside assistance. This was the second major propulsion failure in a short period, each time occurring unexpectedly while driving. The repeated sudden shutdowns without warning present a serious safety risk and indicate an unresolved defect in the vehicle’s electrical and propulsion systems.

Unknown. Weather related - rain water incoming on floor board under steering column. Effecting electronics and vehicle driving safety. Vehicle has propulsion control issues as a cause.

Purchased 2016 Cadillac Escalade in April 2022 - VIN [xxx] . License plate [xxx] . Car has had electrical shortage issues in the navigation screen ever since purchasing. The navigation screen flickers, switches between apps simultaneously and isn’t responsive to finger touch as advertised. I have taken the car to the dealership 4 times within the 90 day dealership warranty. Those dates were April 25, 2022; may 26, 2022; September 3, 2022; and September 24, 2022. However, the problem hasn’t been resolved. This has also caused the car ignition start up to start slowly. The battery has been checked and is fully charged and working properly. The ignition, alternator and transmission are all working properly in good condition. I believe the dealership sold me a “lemon” vehicle. The initial carfax report didn’t disclose any mechanical or electrical issues. I paid a $6000 downpayment and have paid $15,999. 98 so far. My monthly car payment is $999. 98. This car isn’t safe to drive and I am seeking a financial settlement of $20,000 and for the dealership to take back the car without a negative ding on my credit report and no voluntary repossession listed on my credit report. [xxx] my car completely shut down and no longer would start. I had a brand new battery installed a few days prior. Called aaa 4x’s and they couldn’t jump start my car. They tested the alternator, starter, and transmission and there were no failed sensors. I didn’t have any warning lights. I had my car towed to my mechanic and he verified nothing was wrong with transmission, starter and alternator. I noticed there was a strong burn smell and something popped underneath the car causing the car to no longer start or turn on. I ended having to voluntary surrender the car back to capital one auto finance (account [xxx] ) on Monday [xxx] because the car no longer is operable. Information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u. S. C. 552(b)(6).

See all problems of the 2016 Cadillac Escalade 🔎.

Vehicle make: Cadillac vehicle model: Escalade model year: 2022 component(s) affected: engine, fuel system, powertrain, vehicle stability control incident date: [insert date of incident] mileage at time of incident: [insert approximate mileage] summary of complaint: while driving my 2022 Cadillac Escalade at approximately 70 mph on the highway, the vehicle suddenly lost all power and stability. This was due to an injector breaking off inside the engine, sending metal fragments into the camshaft, which subsequently locked the motor. This created an extremely dangerous situation as the vehicle became unresponsive and unstable at high speed. Just two days prior to this incident, the vehicle had been serviced by quantrell Cadillac in lexington, ky, where a recall repair involving the engine was performed. Despite that service, a catastrophic failure occurred almost immediately afterward. After the breakdown, quantrell Cadillac attempted repairs over the course of three weeks. These repairs included replacing the injectors, camshaft, and other components, before eventually replacing the entire long block. However, upon picking up the vehicle, it is exhibiting the exact same failure symptoms again—making a popping noise, stalling the engine, and becoming unsafe to operate. This vehicle is clearly not safe to drive and poses a serious risk to myself, my passengers, and others on the road. There have already been multiple recalls related to this issue, indicating a broader systemic problem. We are requesting the NHTSA’s immediate assistance to investigate this safety issue and help us obtain a replacement vehicle that meets all applicable federal safety standards. This level of repeated engine failure & instability is completely unacceptable for any vehicle—especially one with such recent manufacturer service and recall repairs. When this stall occurs, the entire computer system & all safety features are shut down and collision avoidance is also disabled. Have viideo.

So I bought this Cadillac Escalade v 2023 with about 26k miles on it and I only had the vehicle for about 13 days and I got a light on my dash board and I had a mechanic check this for me and he told me that the whole entire break system was failing and needed to be replaced so I then took it back to the dealership I bought it from and they told me they had no idea since it was a certified pre owned and we where all confused about this situation and I was very unhappy that I paid 128k $ for a car and the dealer told me they could fix the issue or take the offer of 105k$ he offered me and of course because I did not want to have this problem I got rid of this vehicle as quick as possible I did not notice anything wrong with the car physically but I had that check engine light on with 13 days of owning.

While driving about 60–65 mph westbound on NY route 17 near exit 125, a warning message appeared on the dashboard reading “restart engine. ” within seconds the vehicle lost all propulsion, steering assist, and braking power. Pressing the accelerator did nothing and the car began rapidly decelerating in live highway traffic at night. I struggled to steer into the shoulder with great effort because the steering and brakes had become extremely heavy. Once stopped, the engine would not restart — there was no crank and no response when pressing the start button. The vehicle was later towed to the dealership for inspection. This failure occurred without any prior warning other than the single “restart engine” message that flashed moments before the loss of power. There were no check-engine lights, alerts, or performance issues beforehand. Unity Chevrolet Cadillac confirmed that the engine had seized and replaced the entire engine assembly, starter, and battery under warranty. The vehicle remained out of service from August 7 to August 22 2025. This sudden failure created a severe safety hazard — a complete loss of propulsion, steering assist, and braking at highway speed could easily have resulted in a high-speed collision.

Vehicle caught fire in seatbelt harness.

See all problems of the 2018 Cadillac Escalade 🔎.

My wife and I purchased this vehicle in 2023 with 33,xxx miles on it and since we’ve had it, the vehicle has locked itself with the key fob inside 3 different times, we’re going on the third suspension replacement with normal driving that is ruining alignment and tires, we’ve had multiple issues with the computer system resetting itself and not acting appropriately, key fob not working, seat heaters in the back turning themselves on, and glove box randomly opening. Yesterday, my wife tried to start the car and everything on the dash just started flashing, the vehicle attempted to turn over and made terrible knocking noises in the engine compartment. The final straw for us was on July 13th when my wife placed our then 7 month old son in the car after church with the remote start feature working, placed his diaper bag in the vehicle with keys inside the bag, and as she walked around to the driver door, the vehicle locked itself and shut off in 103*f heat. My son began screaming and the vehicle would not unlock. My wife was forced to punch the window out, lacerating her hand open, and even after peeling the window out, the vehicle still would not unlock even manually. I had to leave my fire station to meet her at the hospital where she received stitches. Cadillac sent out an inspector on 8/17/25 and we still have not heard anything back. I have filed with the bbb auto line as well. There was never any warning lights or messages, other than repeated “service suspension system” warnings, which has been replaced twice in 20,xxx miles and now needs to be replaced again.

See all problems of the 2019 Cadillac Escalade 🔎.

While I was driving the car turned off and the steering wheel got really hard, making it harder to get out of the road to keep my children safe since we were in the highway. Second time it happened the stabilitrack service message came up, and also the steering assist is reduced please drive with care. The ebrake. Abs and stabilitrack light on the dash turned on. This started happening on may 14 until present.

Entire information cluster has lost power vehicle halts to a stop in mid driving breaking response is sometimes hard sometimes very loose intermittent warning lights.

See all problems of the 2007 Cadillac Escalade 🔎.

Engine noise loud knocking feels like engine is going to stall, had in service 6-9-25 for 3 days technician heard noise stated could be related to recall but no fix available at this time electrical glitch radio navigation shuts off during while driving screen dash goes dark.

I am reporting persistent safety issues with my 2022 Cadillac Escalade esv, with ~87k miles. Despite a completed recall for an engine seizure, the vehicle continues to fail dangerously, eroding confidence in its safety and reliability. Early in ownership, the computer and dashboard were replaced due to malfunction. Later, the engine seized while driving at 70 mph on a highway, a recall-related issue requiring a three-month repair. The vehicle has spent significant time in the shop, impacting usability. On may 20, 2025, my wife experienced a sudden shutdown at a busy intersection while merging onto a high-speed road. The vehicle lost power without warning, stranding her in a hazardous position. She exited to direct traffic, risking a collision. After ~5 minutes, she restarted it, and the system prompted her to reset the front windows’ limits, suggesting a computer issue. This post-recall failure indicates unresolved defects. These incidents—computer replacement, engine seizure, and shutdown—show a pattern of unreliability. With 87,000 miles, lemon law eligibility may be limited, but gm should have offered a buyback earlier given the history. These failures pose serious safety risks. I urge NHTSA to investigate potential defects in the 2022 Escalade esv’s engine and electronics. I also seek guidance on whether gm should repurchase this vehicle to ensure safety. Please confirm receipt and advise on next steps. I can provide service records.

We were driving on the freeway when all of a sudden the vehicle went into neutral, shut off and started slowing down. We were in the middle lane and our 3 children and grandparents were also in the car. This was incredibly dangerous and thankfully slowly we got to the right shoulder and the vehicle no longer turned on. We had to contact aaa and we took it to the dealership where we dropped it off. A few weeks ago I had called the dealership to ask about the repairs for the engine recall and they said they didn’t have anything solutions for that recall. Now dealer is stating it is still under warranty yet they haven’t been able to provide a vehicle large enough to accommodate our family. Nonetheless, they are stating that it might be over two weeks before they can get a new engine and then install it.

The contact owns a 2016 Cadillac Escalade. The contact stated while coming to a stop to park the vehicle, the vehicle turned off and restarted continuously, and the steering wheel straightened unintendedly. The contact stated that on several occasions, the vehicle failed to restart after being turned off. The contact had to disconnect and reconnect the battery cables to start the vehicle. The contact stated that the message "service stabili-trak" was temporarily displayed. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic; however, the failure could not be duplicated. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The dealer and the manufacturer were not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 143,000.

On 5/15/25 at approx. 11am the vehicle was seen with smoke rolling out of the doors and windows, which were all closed. The vehicle had been parked since approx. 8am that day. Once the fd had the fire knocked down, they found that a seat belt retractor module, replaced in 1/2025, was most likely the cause for the fire and damage. The locking mechinisms were metled and unable to open either the driver door (where the fire had occured) or the front passenger door. The fd was only able to gain initial access to the vehicle by breaking out the driver window and the back passenger window. There were no warning signs of this happening. The vehicle is currently sitting with an auto body shop for an estimate of damage. Had the driver been in the seat they could have received severe burns, smoke inhalation or worse with the doors unable to open.

See all problems of the 2017 Cadillac Escalade 🔎.

When I’m trying to park my car shuts off and turns back on, steering wheel stops working, service stabilitrak turn on and goes away, sometimes my car won’t turn on and have to disconnect the battery and connect it for it to turn on again.

Coffee was spilled on center console while transferring cup from starbucks employee to cup holder. Cup was overfilled and lid wasn’t on properly. Immediately the dash panel started flashing and the service transmission light came on. Drove around a parking lot for a few minutes and seemed okay to drive even with the instrument panel flashing. Had 90 mile drive and during drive message similar to slow down for gear shift popped up and “service shifter see owner’s manual” came up. When I went to exit freeway and was around 5 mph the vehicle slammed to a stop. Then would not go into any other gear. As I called for tow driver I turned vehicle back on and was sitting when the vehicle started moving again without my control. I then drove it an additional 20 miles home staying above 20 mph. Insane Cadillac would design a $120k vehicle with that risk in a very susceptible to spills area. Incredibly unsafe. Beyond traumatizing experience with a vehicle that has leas than 8500 miles on it.

See all problems of the 2024 Cadillac Escalade 🔎.

The stabilitrak/oxygen sensor harness was ripped off by the driveshaft. Ive heard this is common on the 2007+ Escalade.

The engine just stopped working mid traffics shifted to neutral automatically- almost causing a serious accident on a busy interstate . Brought to the mechanic, readings stated misfiring cylinders as engine seized and slipped. Tried fixing issue for $8300. 00. Then after trying to fix it with no luck, cylinder 5 and seven were stuck and could not be repaired. Cost of labor to out engine back together was $4600. 00 plus $400 to tow it to a dealer. Not only life threatening but also wallet draining with no warning. Will never buy a Cadillac again. This is a serious threat for those driving in it and for those who come across it when something happens.

Hi at April 28 around 10. 30 pm I was driving longisland highway city to hamton’ before exit 70 my engine stopped suddenly I was on the left line trafic coming behind me I barely controlled my car pull over very hardly right side and called police I have recorded 911 officer help me to tow my car it was dar and not safe area now car at the dealership smithtown king of Cadillac dealership.

The contact owns a 2025 Cadillac Escalade esv. The contact stated that while starting the vehicle, the contact heard a ticking sound coming from the engine compartment. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact stated that the headlights were inoperable. The contact stated that the headlights failed to function properly and turn on. The vehicle was taken to the dealer but was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and a case was opened. The failure mileage was approximately 5,200.

My [xxx] was sleeping in the parked car. My wife was also in the car with her. Engine and ac were on. The key was inside. Doors and trunk were unlocked. I got outside the car and got my older kid. The doors opened as usual. Then my wife stepped outside the car to get something from the trunk, and she closed her door as well to avoid heat coming in. The vehicle immediately auto locked the doors with the key inside it. So my little one got locked inside. The doors or the trunk did not open again. There was no cell reception, so no way to get roadside help or call 911. The car was parked under direct sun in hot weather. It then shut off the engine (and ac) as well. To avoid heat stroke, we broke into the car to save the child. Obviously damaged the vehicle in the process. The problem of doors/trunk locking with the key inside happened a second time the next day. This time engine was off. I was already inside. My door was open. What component or system failed or malfunctioned, and is it available for inspection upon request? locks, remote how was your safety or the safety of others put at risk? risk of child death from heat stroke has the problem been reproduced or confirmed by a dealer or independent service center? not yet taken to a dealer has the vehicle or component been inspected by the manufacturer, police, insurance representatives or others? no were there any warning lamps, messages or other symptoms of the problem prior to the failure, and when did they first appear? none information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u. S. C. 552(b)(6).

I was driving to work at 45 miles/hour and the car's engine cut out. My life was at risk because the car cut out without warning while I was driving. When the car stopped working, I called the dealership, and they came to take the car away. The car didn't give any warning or display any warning messages beforehand. The car has been at the dealership for a month and they still haven't repaired it.

Twice in the last 6 months the vehicle doors have locked at random while the key was inside the vehicle. Both times, my children were trapped in the vehicle exposed to potential heat issues. Fortunately, in both cases the doors were able to be opened through another door that was still open one time and by hitting the unlock button through a slightly rolled down window. Breaking the glass was the next option. This is a serious safety defect that is putting young children and pets at risk for heat injury or death. There are no indications as to why this started, no warnings displayed, and seems to occur at random. Disabling autolock features does not resolve the issue meaning some glitch or equipment failure is causing the doors to lock despite all autolock features turned off.

Battery terminals going from battery to power distribution panel on top of battery, crimps bad/corroded causing intermittent connection and overcharging the battery by providing false voltages to alternator,.

Our 2021 Cadillac Escalade has experienced multiple ongoing issues. The “driver airbag warning” light has been a major concern, with the dealership stating that the airbag could malfunction at any moment. When we took the vehicle in for repairs, they determined that a previous maintenance job on the driver’s airbag was done incorrectly, which was causing the warning light to activate. Additionally, the vehicle intermittently displays warnings for the “service system restraint system,” “service power steering column,” “reducing features to save battery,” and “service driver assist system. ” despite multiple visits to the dealership, we are consistently told that their diagnostic computers do not populate any error codes, leaving them uncertain about the cause of these warnings. Another major issue is battery drainage. We replaced the original battery two years ago, yet we have needed Cadillac roadside assistance twice because the vehicle wouldn’t start. Each time, the battery tested as healthy, but the car remained inoperable due to a drained battery. Lastly, we have had to replace the remote key batteries every 2-3 months, which seems excessive for a relatively new vehicle. Safety risks: the driver airbag warning light indicates that the airbag could malfunction at any moment, which poses a serious safety risk in the event of an accident. The service system restraint system warning suggests potential failure in critical safety components. Issues with the service power steering column could lead to steering difficulties while driving, increasing the risk of an accident. The reducing features to save battery warning and service driver assist system warning suggest possible electrical failures that could impact vehicle performance and safety. The other issues, including system warnings and battery drainage, have been repeatedly reported to the dealership, but they have been unable to confirm the cause as their diagnostic system does not register error codes.

Traveling at high speed on major 5 lane highway. The engine shut off vehicle lost power went to neutral on shifter on it’s on would not shift . There was no warning no lights nothing that would have indicated a problem at all. Luckily my husband was able to get over 3 lanes and pull on shoulder which was very difficult and extremely dangerous in traffic. The vehicle would not start back up . There were 3 children and 2 adults in the vehicle at the time it was traveling 70mph and completely shut off we were almost struck by vehicles traveling at 70mph plus when trying to get vehicle to shoulder if we were unable to get this vehicle to shoulder this would have caused a multi vehicle pile up on major highway . We would have lost our lives and possibly others in other vehicles as well. Cadialic roadside assistance is picking up this vehicle and taking it to there closest dealership. This vehicle currently has 19,000 miles.

Clicking that the dealer stated was normal. It was not loud knocking saying that is how the high flow fuel pump worked. Safety braking did not work at all. And there was a water intrusion in the trunk.

Truck goes into limp mode, reduced power, stuck in second gear, stabilitrak and engine lights. Took it to the Cadillac dealership and after 3100 dollars in repairs the truck is still doing it. If the high level techs can’t figure it out after 2000 in labor it’s should be a recall item.

See all problems of the 2008 Cadillac Escalade 🔎.

I have a 6 month old Escalade with approximately 7,000 miles. On Wednesday, 01/08/2025, I was driving on a highway with my son, going approximately 65 mph when my car display suddenly alerted "going into neutral". I had moments to get to the shoulder before my car stopped. I then turned my car off and attempted to restart it. The engine would not turn on and I could not get the car out of park (not even into neutral). Following an over 4 hour wait to be towed to the nearest Cadillac dealership, when my husband described what had happened, the mechanic asked "how many miles are on it?" when my husband informed him "about 7,000", the mechanic then replied "yeah, that sounds about right. " to me, this infers that Cadillac is aware of this incredibly dangerous problem and has not recalled vehicles to address this. The car has been at the dealership for 4 days now and no diagnostics have been run at this time to see what the issue is. We have called Cadillac directly and there does not seem to be any concern about what happened to me. I honestly am traumatized at the thought of what could have happened to my son and myself had I not acted so quickly. I do not want this to happen to anyone else. I am so thankful that I was able to get to the shoulder before my car shut off completely but I easily could have been slammed into many times, as the highway I was driving on frequently has cars traveling 70 to 80 mph. Cadillac must be held accountable for the safety of their drivers, customers and families.

I don’t know all I stopped driving it because it is not shifting right and I can’t ark it for some reason . I have to leave it in reverse and then turn off and put rocks so it does not move. Not safe, one day I drive 30 minutes later it is this way.

See all problems of the 2004 Cadillac Escalade 🔎.